Children's home run by Milton Keynes City Council

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC052599 1 SC052599

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Milton Keynes Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 10 children between five and 19 years of age. According to the home’s statement of purpose, the home provides residential short breaks and day care for children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since 30 June 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place to enable Ofsted to gain clarity about the leadership and management arrangements at the home and to determine if the home is meeting the needs of children placed in the home as set out in its statement of purpose. This visit was conducted off site due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions. The home was last visited on 22 January 2020, when a full inspection was carried out.

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This monitoring visit

The home appointed a permanent and full-time manager in October 2020. The manager is in the process of applying to be registered with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Despite a requirement set at the previous inspection, senior leaders and managers have failed to keep the statement of purpose under review and send it to Ofsted within the required timeframe.

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This monitoring visit

The most recent quality of care report detailed a review which covered a one-year period. The regulations state that such a report should monitor key areas related to the safe operation of the home at least once every six months. Senior leaders and managers have not ensured that monitoring occurs regularly, to learn from and improve the service. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC052599 2 The most recent quality of care review sent to Ofsted did not include feedback from children about the children’s home, or any opinions from parents, staff or relevant professionals. The lack of this feedback hinders the whole review process, and it is unclear how the report is used as a tool for continuous improvement.

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This monitoring visit

The design and layout of the home is effective at meeting the children’s needs. However, overall, the home continues to present as institutional and lacks a domestic and homely impression. Some children’s bedrooms lack personalisation. This is the third inspection at which a recommendation has been raised regarding quality of the home environment.

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This monitoring visit

Since being appointed, the manager has provided the staff team with a supportive environment that enables them to carry out their role effectively. The manager has an ambitious vision for the home and acts as a positive role model to staff and children. The manager has impressed upon the staff team high expectations with regards to high standards of individualised care for the children. This has enabled staff to improve their own knowledge about the individual needs of children. Staff now have a clear understanding of the progress children make while receiving care at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Positive feedback was received from a social worker. They expressed that staff work well to support children in their care plan reviews. In addition, they stated that communication between the staff team and the social worker is good.

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This monitoring visit

There is no workforce plan in place to capture the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of all staff. A new recommendation is raised.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 22/01/2020 Full Good 30/01/2019 Full Good 31/08/2017 Full Good 15/12/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC052599 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. 30 May 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC052599 4 (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide a copy of the statement of purpose to HMCI and make a copy of it available upon request to—

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Requirement Due date

a child, or a child for whom accommodation in the home is being considered;

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Requirement Due date

a parent of a child, or a parent of a child for whom accommodation in the home is being considered;

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

If a home has a website, the registered person must ensure that a copy of the statement of purpose is published on that website unless the registered person considers that such publication would prejudice the welfare of children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Nothing in paragraph (5) or regulation 46 (review of premises) requires or authorises the registered person to contravene or not comply with—

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Requirement Due date

any other provision of these Regulations; or

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Requirement Due date

any conditions in relation to the registration of the registered person under Part 2 of the Care Standards Act 2000. (Regulation 16 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d) (3)(a)(b) (4) (5) (6)(a)(b)) 1 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC052599 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a homely, domestic environment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that a workforce plan is in place which includes information regarding the management structure, staffing, staff training and details about the supervision of staff. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Milton Keynes Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Milton Keynes Council, Saxon Court, 502 Avebury Boulevard, Milton Keynes MK9 3HS

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Inspector

Paul Thomas, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC052599 6 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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